Seat-bed



E. D. WALKER Sept. 17, 1957 SEAT-BED 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 18, 1956 T? w w m,

Sept. 17, 1957 E. D. WALKER SEAT-BED s Shieets-Sheet 2 Filed My 18, 1956 Jul amok mourn; D.WALKP- BY Qu-Mw r Quit?) WM. I

Sept-17, 1957 E. D. WALKER SEAT-BED 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 18, 1956 United sa es- 1mm I 'sSEAT-BED Eugene D.Walker,.Detrtiit,'Mich. v I Application May is, 1956, seriamesssnn .2 Claims. (613155- 6) This .invention relates toe.seatbed-=andnmoreipautticularly to-a seat-foruse in vehicles snchrasautomobiles'and the like which .seat may be converted-into a bed oremay be used normally for va seat for the vehicle. This application .is a continuation-impart of application :Serial .No.

484,203, filedJanuary .-1-1 1955,, inowabandoned.

In the past, there has been :numerous attempts made, particularly in the automotive industry, to fiormtthezfront seat of an automobile vehicle, eand'lin .somecases-(the bank seat, .in such amannerthat :the:seatmayibertoldeditoinnm abed. However, in all ofitheseiattemptsdaecauaethe configuration -of the seat *cushions ;-andathe back and seait :portions of the seats, when these iseats 1HK6-3Il'lfi66liflt0 :beds, the resulting bed -is .not in :a flatjplane rhutrrather bumpyand thug-first uncomfortable teilieidownaxpnngaml secondly .is not of :sufiicient length to accommodate rthe average person.

Thus, it is an object of this invention *to zform ta wehicle .front .seat wherein the back of athe seat may :he "dropped :down into the plane of the seat zportion and. wherein -19. planar :bed is .formed without disturbing-the.hanktseattin any way.

A further object of this invention :is :toz-form tasseat for-a vehicle wherein the back 'of :the-seatzmayzberl'ropped into the .plane of the front'of the seatiand -.Whd1di!l extensions are ;provided .either for the Efnont -.or seat mortion or 12 15 are interconnected by struts 16 which are bent so as to the Ibelow the'level of the top f the frame members.

The back portion 14 of the seat is formed of a U- sl'raped tubular frame 17,-thelegs of which being pivotally connected at 18' to the frame menibersof the seat portion.

The seat portion frame members 15-are supported-upon blocks 20 secured to the floor of the vehicle upon which blocks a cross bar 21 is provided at the front of the seat portion fram'e members 15. A 'U-s'haped bracket 22 is irigidly eonnected'to'the-cross'bar and pivotally connected :at 23 to :the frame members '15. The rear of theframe members rests upon-a cross bar 24. This-rear portion of the iframe members may be loosely rested upon 24, or in the alternative, clamps in the fiormof swingable hooks 525211193 be provided to hold down the back of the seat apt xrti'on. (Se'e Fig 5.)

'1Ihe iirame 170'fthe'back'p0rti0n -14 'is held in adjustableiupright positi-onsby means of an 'adjustment bracket $26 having slo'ts -27 formedtherein into which the end of a tbrace arml28 maybe inserted, with the brace arm being zpivotally connecteda't 29t0-the frame members 15.

lh e wiewshown in Fig. 2 illustrates the seat as being rused in a seating position wherein the seat portion 15 normally slants downwardly from front to' rear as is conwentional in most vehicles. However, when the seat is to he-converted into a bed, it i's desira'ble to raise the frame members 15 so that the tops thereof are-arranged in a horizontal position. intact, in the average automobile, it is desirable to raise the frame member so that-the bed sslan'ts (downwardly from :rear to front whereby :the occupant of the bed has suificient=clearance between'the dash- -:boardt'offthexvehicle and his body. In order to thusadjust thecseatiporti on, aswinging link 30, pivo'tally'connected :to ithe frame member 15, and having a -U*shaped foot the rear orback portion or @both, ztOCXtGlId :the :length :of 586 Marranged to fitover the crossbar 24, positions the seat the bed to accommodate the average-driver.

Yet another-objectof this inuention is 't'DiSO fill-111 318331: bed that when :the back is :placed ti'nzthecplane of the-seat portion, the entire plane of the :hedn's angled inwardly .in the vehicle so that thepersonresting suponizthe ihed has sufficient clearance between the 1 dash hoardkof tthe vehic'le and his'bodyto comfortably res'tmponzthe abet].

These and other obiects of my invention will lbecome apparent upon reading the following 'ZdiSClDSHIZB' :of which the attached drawingsformapart.

. Referringito .the-.drawings-,:in which:

Fig. Lis a perspectivewiewmf twozseatstofzthexconstruotion disclosed herein as mounted in :awehihle such :as 'an automobile;

.Fig. ,2 rise side ViGWROfLOHCF-Of :these seatsitira-wn .to-a slightly :enlarged scale; s

.Fig. .3 is a sideviewtillustratingtthevseateas converted into a'bed;

Fig. 4 shows-atop view:takenain:therdirectinnmfzarnow 4ofFig.3;

Fig. illustrates a rear view of one seat and istaken in the directionofrfarrow S toniFignZ.

With reference to Fig. il an-linteriorofran automobile generally designated as is illustrated ,to showthere placementof theconventional frontseattif the automobile lay the seats 1 2 of-theeonstruction disclosed herein. 'Each ot'these seats-shownin-Fig. 'lareiorme'din thesanjre jway so'that only oneotthemwill-be des'cribed"below. v

SeatilZ :comprises a seating portion 13 and a ba'ck portion 14. The seating -porti on 'eonsists of -a pair *of spaced 'frarne members '15 which maybe formed-'of'tubularrmaterial :arrangedinfiattened elliptical shapemsillustrated in Figs. 2 and :3=.of-the drawings. ilhe exact form of the frame members is not particularly critical, but is .illustrated in the manner shown; 'since a' "high degree of strength canbeobtained'froma'tublilarmetal construction formed in this manner. The two spaced frame members either .horizontally, or :more desirably, at ;-an angle down- :wardlyifrommear to front. V

ilrn order'ito .make up 'the bed, thebrace '29 is manually tremovetl from :the notches 27 of the bracket attachment 6 and the rear :portion or back "portion of the seat isrdropped down until the base 33 of the U-shaped back :trame :rests .upon the rear seat. In this position, *the '"bedzformsa planar surface. Note'thatthe base'33 is pref emblyiarrangedsoifset to the plane of the frame 17. :In iorderit'o iformrthe seat and back :rest, a webbing 35;, which .may :be formed of 'a .single sheet :of flexible materiahsuch as :strongwloth or plastic .is stretched betweenwtheyframe :mem'bers 15 and also between the legs tof thetbackportioniframe L7. :This :stretching may :be accomplished by; means of lacingsfizm'which lacings :may :be -:of wire, .cord, .or;the11ike and which extend through eyelets .37 formed in the webbing 35.

Generally, the length of abed so formed 'by-means of the hack and seat portion of thefront-seat would not'be ofasuflicientrlength tohold the' average'size person. Thus, a zfront=extension :40 is :provided :to extend the length of 'the (bed. This front extension 40 is :formed of a U- shapedrtubular frame 41 having a base 42 and legs'43 telescopediinto sockets 44 whichare-secured tothe frame members 15.

. .Ihe webbing -35 maybe extended and securedto the hase.42 of ;the. extension 40 vso that when the extension is pushed forwardly of the seat portion, the webbing .35 in thearea between .the front of the seat portion and ithe base 42 .forms .a .taut support and a continuation of the hedform'ed by the seat and back. When the extension is .not in use, the extension 40 is retracted into the sockets '44so that the base 42 acts as theiront cross bar of the seat and so that the material located between the front 'o'fthe seat and'the base '42hangsloose'ly below the level of the seat as indicated in Fig. l. Likewisc, in many instances, where the occupant of the vehicle is tall, even this front extension would not be suflicient to form a full length bed for the occupant.

legs of the back andhaving its edges secured to these Thus, a back or rear extension 50 is provided and this also is formed of a U-shaped tubular frame 51 having a base 52 and legs 53 telescoped into sockets 54 connected to the legs of the back portion frame 17. Again, the webbing 35 may be extended to connect with the base portion 52 so that when the rear extension is opened up, the bed continues for that length of the extension. Likewise, when the extension is retracted, the fabric between the base 52 and the top of the rear portion 14 hangs loosely therebetween.

It is also contemplated to use one rather than two seats for certain types of vehicles where only one seat is desirable. This one seat may be slidably mounted upon the cross-bar 21 by attaching the bracket 22- to the cross-bar by means of a slidable collar. Thus, the one seat may be positioned for driving or may be slid over to the passenger side of the vehicle.

It can be seen that the construction herein disclosed provide a seat which may be converted into a bed which .is completely flat at all places and also is provided with extensions which extensions require no additionalmaterial but rather the material forming the surfaces of the extension is always carried and i formed integral with the seat itself. Where desired, seat cushions may be placed over the seat portion and against the back portion and these cushion may be removed when it is desired to make up the bed.

This invention may be further developed within the scope of the following attached claims. Accordingly, it is desired that the foregoing description be considered as illustrative of an operative embodiment of my invention and not in a strictly limiting sense.

Having fully described an operative embodiment of my invention, I new claim:

1. A seat bed for mounting within an automotive vehicle normally having a front and a rear seat, including a front seat arranged for normal use as a seat and being foldable, when desired, into a bed, said front seat comprising a seat portion and a back portion, said seat portion being formed of a pair of spaced frame members, each arranged in a vertical plane and each having an upper straight side, the two frame members being rigidly interconnected by rigid struts which are arranged beneath the plane formed by the two upper sides, a support arranged at the front of each frame vto raise each frame front a distance above the level of the rear of each frame, the supports being rigidly connected to the floor upon which the seat bed is placed and the frame members being pivotally connected to said supports so that the rear of the frame member may be pivoted upwards to the level of or above the level of the front of the frames; a leg swingably connected to each frame member at the rear of each frame member to support the rear of the frame members in an upward position after the frame members are pivoted about their front support pivot connections; said back portion being formed of a continuou strip of rigid material bent into the form of an inverted U, with the base of the U bent offset rearwardly of the plane of the legs of the U, the free ends of the U legs each being pivotally connected to the rear of one of the frame members at their upper sides; adjustable locking means for locking the back in various upright angular positions relative to the seat, said locking means being releasable for allowing the back portion to pivot into a substantially horizontal position whereby the base of the U may be rested upon the rear seat of the vehicle and whereby the seat frames upper sides may be pivoted into the same plane as the seat back by pivoting the frames about their pivot support connections and swinging the legs into a frame supporting position; a continuous flat sheet of flexible cloth stretched tightly between and having its edges secured to the frame member upper sides and also extending between the U- U-legs; a tubular socket secured to and aligned with each of the. upper sides of the frame members and a rigid,

U-shaped extension arranged with its legs telescoped into the sockets and the base of the U being arranged to form a front cross-bar between the frames and said cloth having an end connected to the extension base with a sufficient amount of slack being provided in the cloth so that the extension may be telescoped outwardly of the seat portion to increase the length of the combined seat and back portions.

2. A seat bed for mounting within an automotive vehicle normally having a front and a rear seat, including a front seat arranged for normal use as a seat and being .foldable, when desired, into a bed, said front seat comprising a seat portion and a back portion, said seat portion being formed of a pair of spaced frame members, each arranged in a vertical plane and each having an upper straight side, the two frame members being rigidly interconnected by rigid struts which are arranged beneath the plane formed by the two upper sides, a support arranged at the front of each frame to raise each frame front a distance above the level of the rear of each frame, the supports being rigidly connected to the floor upon which the seat bed is placed and the frame members being pivotally connected to said supports so that the rear of the frame members may be pivoted upwards to the level of or above the level of the front of the frames; a leg swingably connected to each frame member at the rear of each frame member to support the rear of the frame members in an upward position after the frame members are pivoted about their front support pivot connections; said back portion being formed of a continuous strip of rigid material bent into the form of an inverted U, with the base of the U bent offset rearwardly of the plane of the legsof the U, the free ends of the U legs each being pivotally connected to the rear of one of the frame members at their upper sides; adjustable locking means for locking the back in various upright angular positions relative to the seat, said locking means being releasable for allowing the back portion to pivot into a substantially horizontal position whereby the base of the U ,may be rested. upon the rear seat of the vehicle and whereby the seat frames upper sides may be pivoted into the same plane as the seat back by pivoting the frames about their pivot support connections and swinging the legs into a frame supporting position; a continuous fiat sheetof flexible cloth stretched tightly between and havingitsledgcs secured to the frame member upper sides and also extending between the U-legs of the back and having its edge secured to these U-legs; a tubular socket secured to and aligned with each of the legs of the U-shaped ba'ck'portion near the base thereof, and a U- shaped extension formed of a rigid material and having the: legs thereof telescopically inserted in said sockets, and the end of the cloth at the back portion being con- 'necte'd. to the. base of the U-shaped extension and there being sufiicient slack provided at the cloth end so that the: extension may be telescoped outwardly of the back portion to extend the length thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

